Sheet stock processing is used in numerous industries, including box manufacturing. Sheet processing typically involves multiple stages to convert generally flat sheet stock (e.g., paper, card stock, and cardboard) into boxes or other products. Such stages may include, among others, printing on the sheet stock, cutting and scoring, trim removal, and folding and gluing. The entire process is generally referred to as “converting.”
Typically, a rotary die cut machine prints and cuts blanks of sheet stock to produce sheets of different sizes and shapes. The sheets may have pieces stamp-cut for removal, and they may have score marks to allow for folding or assembly into a desired configuration. The sheets also may have printing on them. A trim remover receives the sheets from the rotary die cut machine. The trim remover removes excess scraps of stock, or trim, from the sheet. Typical trim removers include dual belt systems including an upper and a lower belt for conveying the sheets from the die cut machine to downstream processing stages.
Trim can be attached to stamped sheets in various locations. Scrap may be attached to the sheet at its sides, in which case the scrap may be referred to as edge trim. The front and back excess scrap is lead edge trim and trail edge trim, respectively. The cut outs internal to the sheet can be of numerous shapes and sizes, and are called normal trim. When properly cut from the sheet and ejected from the die with rubber strips, the trim is called loose trim. Scrap that is cut but remains attached to the sheet by a small amount of material is called hanging trim. Scrap may also be properly cut, but fail to be ejected from the sheet. This is called trapped trim.